1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a terminal fitting, to a connector with a terminal fitting and to a method for forming a terminal fitting.
2. Description of the Related Art
A known connector has a housing with opposite front and rear ends and an accommodation recess is formed in the rear end of the housing. Cavities extend between the front end and the accommodation recess for receiving terminal fittings. The connector also has a one-piece rubber plug in the accommodation recess and a holder for holding the rubber plug in the accommodation recess. The rubber plug and the holder have wire-introducing holes and insertion holes corresponding to the cavities in the housing.
The terminal fitting to be inserted into such a connector is secured to an end of a wire and has a bottom wall, left and rights sidewalls that extend up from the left and right edges of the bottom wall, and a locking hole formed in the bottom wall, as shown in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 5-226025. The terminal fitting is inserted into the cavity after successively passing through the insertion hole of the holder and the wire-introducing hole of the rubber plug. A resin lock in the cavity engages the locking hole so that the terminal fitting inserted into the cavity is held so as not to come out. Inner circumferential surfaces of the wire-introducing holes of the rubber plug closely contact outer circumferential surfaces of the wires and the outer surface of the rubber plug closely contacts the inner surface of the accommodation recess. Thus water will not enter into the housing.
In recent years, there has been a demand to make connectors smaller and, accordingly, terminal fittings have become smaller. The locking hole of a smaller terminal fitting extends over the entire width of the bottom wall to maximize the area of engagement between the resin lock and the locking hole.
Sidewalls of the terminal fitting are bent up from the bottom wall, and the bending operation invariably produces arcuate boundaries between the bottom wall and the sidewalls. The locking hole necessarily extends into the arcuate bent boundaries between the bottom wall and the sidewalls in the above-described situations where a maximum width locking hole extends completely across the bottom wall. This extension of the locking hole into the arcuate boundaries adjacent the sidewalls avoids leaving parts of the bottom wall at the opposite lateral edges of the locking hole.
The arcuate boundaries between the bottom wall and the sidewalls include the bottom ends of the sidewalls. Hence, the portions of the locking hole that extend into the arcuate bend define recesses in the bottom ends of the respective sidewalls when the terminal fitting is viewed sideways. The recesses may catch the entrance edge of the insertion hole of the holder when the terminal fitting is inserted obliquely into the holder. Consequently, insertion of the terminal fitting may be hindered or the terminal fitting may be deformed.
The invention was developed in view of the above problem and an object thereof is to improve the operability of a terminal fitting, particularly to prevent the terminal fitting from getting caught while being inserted into a connector.
The invention is directed to a terminal fitting that is insertable into a connector. The terminal fitting comprises a bottom wall and sidewalls that project angularly and preferably normally from the left and right edges of the bottom wall. A locking hole is formed in the bottom wall and extends over substantially the entire width of the bottom wall for engagement with a lock of a connector. Each sidewall has a pair of notches formed by cutting away only the front and rear ends of an area substantially corresponding to the locking hole so as to communicate with the locking hole.
The locking hole preferably is formed in the bottom wall before bending.
Preferably, an area of each sidewall between the notches is substantially planar. Thus, an area of the locking hole can extend over the entire width of the bottom wall to ensure a sufficiently large engaged area with the resin lock.
The bottom edge of an area of each sidewall between the notches is substantially at the same height as the lower surface of the bottom wall. Thus, the portions of the sidewall corresponding to the locking hole are not recessed when the terminal fitting is viewed sideways and, accordingly, the terminal fitting does not get caught by the insertion hole and the like during insertion.
Arcuate bent portions are formed at boundaries between the bottom wall and the sidewalls when the sidewalls are bent as to stand up from the opposite lateral edges of the bottom wall. However, the areas of the side walls corresponding to the locking hole are separated from the arcuate bent portions by the notches. Thus, these areas can remain substantially planar, and are not influenced by the bending operation.
The connector preferably comprises a sealing plug to be accommodated in an accommodation recess at a rear end of a connector housing. The sealing plug has at least one wire-introducing hole corresponding to the cavities for the corresponding terminal fitting. The connector also comprises a holder with at least one insertion hole corresponding to the wire-introducing holes and adapted to prevent a loose backward movement of the sealing plug. The terminal fitting is insertable into the cavity after successively passing through the insertion hole and the wire-introducing hole.
A terminal fitting in which the portions of the sidewalls corresponding to the locking hole are recessed inclines when the entrance edge of the insertion hole catches the recesses. As a result that the leading end of the terminal fitting may be stuck in the rubber plug. However, the terminal fitting of the subject invention has no recesses. Thus, the inclination of the terminal fitting is small even if the terminal fitting contacts the entrance edge of the insertion hole, and the terminal fitting will not stick in the rubber plug.
A slanted bevel preferably is formed at a bottom end of each sidewall between the notches substantially corresponding to an arcuate bent boundary between the bottom wall and the sidewall. Thus, there is no possibility that corners of the bottom ends of the sidewalls bulge out obliquely downward from the arcuate bends to catch the entrance edge of the insertion hole.
The invention also is directed to a connector comprising a housing with at least one cavity and formed in its rear end surface with at least one insertion hole substantially corresponding to the cavity. At least one of the above-described terminal fittings is passed through the insertion hole and is inserted into the cavity. The terminal fitting is held by the engagement of the locking hole with a lock in the cavity.
The connector preferably comprises a sealing plug accommodated in an accommodation recess at a rear end of the housing. The plug may have at least one wire-introducing hole corresponding to the cavity for accommodating the corresponding terminal fitting. The connector also may have a holder with at least one insertion hole corresponding to the wire-introducing hole and adapted to prevent a loose backward movement of the sealing plug. The terminal fitting is insertable into the cavity after successively passing through the insertion hole and the wire-introducing hole.
The invention also relates to a method for forming a terminal fitting for insertion into a connector. The method comprises providing a metal plate and bending the metal plate to define sidewalls that project angularly from left and right edges of a bottom wall. The method also comprises forming a locking hole in the bottom wall to extend substantially over the entire width of the bottom wall for engaging a lock in the connector. Each sidewall is formed with a pair of notches by cutting away only the front and rear ends of an area substantially corresponding to the locking hole so as to communicate with the locking hole.
The locking hole preferably is formed in the bottom wall in before the bending step.
Preferably, an area of each sidewall between the notches is substantially planar.
The bottom edge of an area of each sidewall between the notches preferably is formed to be substantially at the same height as the lower surface of the bottom wall.
The method may further comprise forming a slanted bevel at a bottom end of each sidewall between the notches and substantially corresponding to an arcuate bend at a boundary between the bottom wall and the sidewall.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings. It should be understood that even though embodiments are separately described, single features thereof may be combined to additional embodiments.